5 Tech Trends That Are Here to Stay

The pandemic has impacted all industries and commercial real estate is no exception. While we were all forced to change the way we worked this past year, technology continued to develop at a fast pace and will continue to impact everything from returning to work in-person to finding new spaces to lease. Here’s a snapshot of five trends that are here to stay:

Virtual Communications

While offices are opening, employees are returning to work and restrictions are lifting, many companies are opting to keep employees at home and business travel is still slow to return. For these reasons, many meetings will happen over Zoom, services like Slack and Microsoft Teams will provide a platform for informal, ongoing conversations and the use of form submission technology like DocuSign will take the place of in-person lease signings.

Occupancy Sensors

Companies can use passive infrared sensors attached to seats and desks, imaging sensors mounted in hallways and doorways and temperature sensors deployed throughout buildings to monitor traffic flow. The data can improve social distancing compliance and allow for HVAC and lighting systems to automatically adjust when offices are empty. 

Virtual Tours 

Before COVID-19, companies looking for new space benefited from how drone footage and virtual reality allowed tours to take place from any location. Now, these types of virtual tours are becoming the norm in early interest viewings as buyers hone in on their top properties. 

Building Upgrades With COVID-19 in Mind

Touch-less plumbing fixtures, doors controlled by automatic sensors and voice-activated elevators will prove worth the investment as employers are looking to eliminate concerns about spreading germs through high-touch surfaces. 

Greater Reliance on Artificial Intelligence

Great strides have been made in artificial intelligence and machine learning in recent years. Commercial real estate can utilize AI in space and energy utilization, marketing and sales, investment management and data analysis. 

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